Fact one: The A1 is the longest numbered road in the UK. Longer than the M1. Longer than the A6. It’s so long that if you drove it at 60mph, you’d need nearly seven hours—without loo breaks. Good luck.
Fact two: The A1 passes through seven counties and three London boroughs. Each section has its own personality: the boring bit, the scary bit, the bit where you see a horse, and the bit where you see a horse on the carriageway.
Fact three: The A1 has a secret brother: the A1(M) is a motorway that uses the same number. It’s like identical twins where one is a fast runner and the other is a stoner who can’t find his shoes.
The Great North Road: The Original
Before the A1 existed, there was the Great North Road, a medieval track that went through every village it could find. The A1 is basically the modern, slightly less muddy version. Back then, you’d ride a horse and pray for an inn. Today, you drive a Nissan Qashqai and pray for a McDonald’s.
